the configuration dialog for host-only networking shows two host-only network adapters instead of one after you reopen the dialog. Deleting one of them deletes both (if you try to delete both it complains that the second one doesn't exist after you delete the first one).

I can only set the correct IP address for the adapter from the Windows network configuration UI, changing the IP from the VirtualBox UI assigns a different IP from the one selected (for example 169.254.0.55 instead of the 192.168.1.200 I specified).

random errors that it cannot rename the network adapter when managing the host-only network.

This is confirmed still an issue for Windows 8 64-bit Host with Linux guests on VirtualBox version 4.2.10r84104.

I need a closed, controlled environment to run a three host lab; host-only networking seems to be the only way to do this. This issue is several months old now, if I can help in any way please let me know.

I experience the same issue using VirtualBox version 4.3.16 on Windows 8.1 64-bit. Strange enough, creating a second host only interface manually seems to work better - at least VMs can start with it assigned.

Got a similar problem with VirtualBox 5.0.16 on Windows 7: updated from 4.3.28 today and existing vboxes stopped booting and reported this error. Checking or un-checking the Brided option did not help.

In the end, found that the installer has an option to install NDIS5 rather than the (new?) default NDIS6, and that a repair-reinstall did not work for me. But removing VBox and then installing "from scratch" with the option did work; existing VM definitions did not get lost ;)

Got a similar problem with VirtualBox 5.0.16 on Windows 7: updated from 4.3.28 today and existing vboxes stopped booting and reported this error. Checking or un-checking the Brided option did not help.

In the end, found that the installer has an option to install NDIS5 rather than the (new?) default NDIS6, and that a repair-reinstall did not work for me. But removing VBox and then installing "from scratch" with the option did work; existing VM definitions did not get lost ;)

For the less tech savvy, here's some clearer instructions (for Windows 7+):

Uninstall Virtualbox

Download installer (if you haven't already)

Open up folder where file is (e.g. Downloads), hold down the SHIFT key and right click in some empty space in the folder window (not on top of any file)

Click "Open command window here"

Type in "VirtualBox" and press tab, it should auto-complete the file name. Make sure it auto-completes the version of the installer you want. If it's not the version you want, continue pressing tab until the correct file name comes up.

Copy this text:

-msiparams NETWORKTYPE=NDIS5

In your command prompt window, hit the icon in the top right, in the dropdown hit Edit > Paste, you should have something like this:

Got a similar problem with VirtualBox 5.0.16 on Windows 7: updated from 4.3.28 today and existing vboxes stopped booting and reported this error. Checking or un-checking the Brided option did not help.

In the end, found that the installer has an option to install NDIS5 rather than the (new?) default NDIS6, and that a repair-reinstall did not work for me. But removing VBox and then installing "from scratch" with the option did work; existing VM definitions did not get lost ;)